Chapter XVI: Oracle – Rock Paper Scissor Explosion & Co

Alexandra let out a long sigh. To resume her situation at the moment, she was lost and her finances were in the red. No matter how she looked at it, she couldn't live 360 whole days in the lower ring while chasing angels and taking care of two people. Yes. Two people.

"Hey, useless," she said, turning to the red-haired little girl close to her.

The girl twitched at the call, turning her frightened eyes towards her 'big sister'.

"Wha… what? I mean, yes?!"

"Minus 1 point."

"Eh?! W-Why?!"

"I feel frustrated," Alexandra replied, tilting her head.

"E-Eeeeeeh…"

The little girl stayed silent. She noticed the irritation in her master's voice and decided to not say anything. The streets were bustling with people, but she didn't approach anyone even though she was in a dire situation.

Minium assumed her master was too shy to talk to strangers so she couldn't ask for help. Her dilemma now, was simple: should she call for help in her stead, or stay put?

If she called for someone, her master could get embarrassed and act defensively…

"Useless thing! Did I ask something of you?!"

And after saying that, she would surely discard her. But on the other hand, if she did do something, her master could grow impatient and…

"Useless thing! Can't you take any initiative? You are supposed to guess what I want you to do!"

And after saying that, she would surely discard her!

"Hey, what is wrong?" Alexandra asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Eh?!"

Minium twitched and turned to Alexandra who was now squinting her eyes.

"Don't 'eh' me. Your eyes suddenly became more creepy (and I honestly, didn't though that possible…)"

"I… I am sorry! I—"

"We are moving."

Alexandra briskly walked away, leaving Minium behind. The little girl was startled and didn't follow her. In fact, she didn't know IF she should have followed her.

"(Have I… have I been abandoned?)"

As if to answer that thought, Alexandra turned around with a scowl on her face.

"I said, we are moving! NOW!"

"Y-Yes!!!"

Subsequently, Alexandra (and Minium, almost running after her) wandered in the streets for minutes. She didn't stop and turned left and right as if she knew exactly where she was going.

Suddenly, Alexandra disappeared into the crowd. Minium looked left and right, but Alexandra was nowhere to be seen.

"Ma… master? Master, where are you? Master!"

Minium called for Alexandra, but she received no response. Her master's has disappeared without a trace, leaving her all alone on the streets. No matter how hard she called, nobody answered.

Bystanders only glanced at her for an instant before resuming their walk. She was a doll, after all, nobody would help her even if she asked. Nobody would talk to her, it was as if she didn't exist.

Tears welled up in Minium's eyes. Alexandra had discarded her, just like she was discarded before. What to do now? Where to go? Should she find another master? Would she end up in the garbage again? Yes, she was sure this was how things would unfold. She would end up in the garbage and then, she would die there like the others. It was her certitude. That's how things would end up. Yes, that's how—

"Greetings. Do you need help?"

The little girl turned her face to the person who addressed her. It was a teenage girl wearing a mostly black robe and city boots. While her clothes were already somewhat strange, the fact that her arms were covered in bandages, and her right eye by an eyepatch, struck her as even weirder.

She didn't show any emotion in her voice or her face. The complete calm, flat, and monotone. It was as if a doll suddenly became alive and talked to her, which was fitting since the strange girl was just that. A doll.

"It seems you are lost. Do you need help?"

"Hum… er…"

"Your older sister…" the girl began, hiding her mouth as if deep in thought.

Minium's eyes widened.

"You…you know where master is?!" she asked, jumping to conclusions which was exactly what her interlocutor was expecting.

"Yes. Do you want me to show you?"

Minium smiled at first, but suddenly grew suspicious – why did that girl know about the 'sister' thing?

"Um… actually…"

"Never mind."

The girl took off her eyepatch.

***

"Ma… Master!"

In a deserted alley, Alexandra was standing, her back turned to the street. As soon as she saw her, Minium felt appeased and tried to run to her.

"Master!"

"Stay where you are," Alexandra spat.

Her tone of speech was cold, so cold that Minium was frozen on the spot.

"... Master?"

Alexandra turned around and glared at her. In her hand, she held a dagger.

"So? Why were you following me?"

"Huh? But… I…"

Minium stuttered. Indeed, why did she follow Alexandra? She didn't know her that well and she threw her away earlier. Why didn't she look out for someone else—

"(Huh?)"

Why would she look for someone else anyway? Alexandra was her master! No matter how much she would throw her away, she wouldn't give up until the end!

"I asked: Why were you following me?"

"Um… Master, I—"

"Can you shut up for a minute, useless? I am talking to the one with you!"

"Huh?"

The girl in a black robe and with bandaged arms stepped forward.

"You noticed?" she said.

Alexandra had a wry smile. "You weren't even trying."

"True."

The girl bowed deeply in a moving showing a great deal of respect.

"Greetings. My name is Shogo and I have a message for you."

"A message?"

Looking more closely, Alexandra noticed the collar around that girl's neck – for sure, she was a doll.

Alexandra's eyes instinctively narrowed. As expected, she was not the most receptive nor trusty person in the world, far from it. Shogo knew that well, but that was an advantage in her mind. People who hardly trusted others were easier to deal with in her opinion. Get the logic behind what makes others trustworthy for them, and they will blindly follow you.

Alexandra tended to doubt everyone and to act aggressively. So, the best course of action to take with her was to…

"You are going to save the world."

"... excuse me?"

Yes. It was to act strangely but more on the silly side than the suspicious one. Like so for example – Shogo raised her hands toward the cloudy sky.

"You are going to save the world~... drama, heroism, whatever whatever…"

A lightning bolt passed through the sky making Minium shiver. Nice timing, sky, Shogo thought.

"..."

Alexandra sighed and put her dagger in her bag.

"Weirdos… All weirdos…"

Alexandra reached for Minium's hand.

"Eh? Master?"

"We are moving. Together."

"Ah! O-Okay!"

"Oh? You don't believe me, Alexandra Brer Belladonna Wolf?" Shogo asked, stopping Alexandra in her tracks.

"..."

Alexandra got her dagger out again.

"You… what do you know?"

"Everything."

"I see."

Minium looked alternatively at Shogo and Alexandra. Even she could feel the tension between the two girls though she didn't really understand the reason beyond that.

"Ma… Master?"

"What do you want?" Alexandra asked, pointing at Shogo with her dagger.

"What I want? A crow leg."

"?"

"I am hungry, you see?" Shogo said, shrugging.

"... Do you have a dead wish?"

"Surely you understand second degree?"

"I do not exactly feel amused, you see~?" Alexandra said, wryly.

"Let me get it straight then."

Shogo put her hand on her chest.

"I can see the future."

There was a silence. The kind of silence that can only exist when someone says something so ridiculous that it takes you minutes to even understand what is so wrong with it.

"Uh… hum…"

Minium pulled on Alexandra's sleeve.

"Master, you know, I think what she says is true…"

"Shut up for a moment," Alexandra said.

"Ah! Y-Yes!"

"Marshmallow girl, do you know how to play rock-paper-scissor?"

"What? Who are you talking about? Not me, I hope? Not me, right!?"

"The rules are simple."

"Don't ignore me!"

"The rules are simple."

Shogo closed her hand into a fist, making Alexandra stand on her guard.

"This is rock."

Shogo extended her index finger and middle finger, forming a V.

"This is scissors."

Shogo flattened her hand.

"And this is paper."

"Enough. What is your point?" Alexandra asked, the strand on her head moving quickly – a clear sign of annoyance and restlessness.

"I want to prove to you I can see the future. We will play rock-paper-scissor for 10 consecutive rounds. If I lose even one round, I will do anything you ask of me," Shogo said, casually.

"And why would I be interested in anything you could provide?"

"I have sensible pieces of information about you and many others. Is this enough for you?"

Alexandra smiled arrogantly.

"Sensible information? Like what? You know my name, so what? There were many occasions I can think of during which you could have heard it. Aside from that, you know not—"

"Alexandra Brer Belladonna Wolf – 9th of the name. Age: 15 years 4 months. Gray Inked bibliomancer at 7, Blue Inked bibliomancer at 14. The classical course. Mother: Alexandra Bacia Beatrice Wolf – 7th of the name. Accused of many crimes including murders, she was thrown into the sea at the age of 36. There are also the others, those close to you – the daughters of the Aschenputtel and Schneeweißchen households. Your only friends though you threw them away. The one from the Aschenputtel household had feelings for you, and you were engaged to each other. Unfortunately, her feelings were one-sided. As for the one for the one from the Schneeweißchen household, you never understood her. But, in a sense, isn't that how you felt about everyone?"

Shogo had enumerated many details of Alexandra's life in short sentences with her usual mechanical tone. She took care to not say too much, or rather, she took care to say EXACTLY too much. Only mentioning things that she knew would trigger a strong reaction in Alexandra, she made sure to appear dangerous in her mind. She had to be unreadable for this to work and while being silly was good and all, it would be pointless if Alexandra didn't find her somewhat threatening.

And indeed, Alexandra reacted.

After staring at Shogo for a long moment she sighed heavily. Slowly, she pushed Minium behind her and put her dagger back in her bag.

"And what happens if you win?" she asked.

"You will have to do one thing for me."

"One thing?"

"One thing."

"What exactly?"

"You will know when I win."

"My, when YOU win, huh? Some filths sure don't lack guts. Or is that stupidity? My money on stupidity."

"I will continue explaining the rules then."

Shogo ignored Alexandra's tone; so dry and full of contempt that it was suffocating. Alexandra had a little smirk – she wasn't offended by Shogo's declaration, just amused.

Of course, losing to a doll was beyond Alexandra's imagination. She stopped Shogo with a dismissive hand move and proposed something.

"I know them already. Let's add a new rule instead."

Here it was. The new rule she won't explain. To not raise any suspicion, Shogo had to act as if she didn't know what Alexandra was talking about.

"Which one?"

"Oh? You don't know? Aren't you supposed to see the future?" Alexandra asked, looking down at Shogo.

"Oh... Of course… Let's begin then."

Alexandra seemed satisfied. Now, she just needed to make sure to not put too much effort into the application of her 'rule'.

Both positioned their hands in front of each other.

"Rock-paper-scissor!!!"

Alexandra played rock and Shogo played paper. In a normal game, that would mean Shogo had won, however in the Berattelsian version that was called the "advantage".

Whoever had the advantage must say "second", "third", "fourth" and so on before playing until a draw is reached. At that point, the one who won last is considered the winner of the round.

Additionally, if any winner doesn't say the turn number correctly, for example, say "second" during the third turn, the advantage goes to the other player. The same happens when the other player doesn't say anything.

Lastly, if a player doesn't play in time, the advantage is transferred to the other player if they have it. If they don't, they lose the round.

"Seco—"

*CRAAASHH!!!*

As if a landmine had been placed there, the ground under Shogo's feet exploded without any prior warnings. A cloud of dust formed and rocks fell to the ground, left and right.

"Third," Alexandra said, eyes closed and playing scissors this time while touching her bleeding forehead. "My, I got so angry that I neglected to protect myself correctly. If that rock hit me harder… Well, no matter…"

Alexandra's nails were now black except for two. She turned to Minium who fell in surprise at the sound of the explosion.

"We are really moving this time," she said, seeming tired. "The situation isn't great right now."

Minium stared at Alexandra in incomprehension. It wasn't as if she had never seen someone die before, but she had great difficulty acknowledging that her master had just blown up someone into nothing without any warning whatsoever. Moreover, she was now acting about it naturally. Who was that girl exactly?

"Fourth."

As the dust went down behind Alexandra, a voice echoed. It was Shogo's as she played another sign – rock this time. She then changed to paper again.

"Fifth. You didn't play. You lose this round by default."

Alexandra's eyes went round as she looked at Shogo. Shogo on the other hand only tilted her head as if she didn't understand Alexandra's surprise.

"Hm? I may have lost if you played a second time earlier. But you didn't. Of course, I knew you wouldn't. Just like I knew that you would use 'stomping crush' at that moment, and dodged. Oh, 'stomping crush' is just one of the many names you might give to that wind manipulation technique in the future. Not everything in the future is set in stone."

Shogo pointed at Alexandra.

"Of course, that does not include your defeat today. Prepare yourself."

Alexandra's jaw dropped. She stared at Shogo with something akin to horror. However, she quickly snapped out of it. This time her expression became more serious.

"Let's say that you can truly see the future. How much do you know about 'it'?"

"I know you will save the world and—"

"That wasn't my question," Alexandra coldly interrupted.

Shogo closed her eye.

"... I will tell you. If you win."

"If I win, huh? You are basically saying that you won't tell me anything. If I win, you will die before having the time to say my name, and if I lose, I will have to do something you ask. In that configuration, I can't force you to say anything."

Or so Alexandra said, shrugging and sounding resigned.

The truth was that she wanted to test the doll's physical limits. She was convinced her dodge earlier had nothing to do with future vision, but just ridiculously good reflexes. As such, in the highly unlikely case Shogo won, she had no intention of doing her bidding. In her head, it was Shogo's fault for being so cheeky and stupid – who would follow a doll's order? One must be crazy to do that.

Additionally, there was nothing that really bound her to do anything. No honor, no contract, nothing. In the end, she had no obligation to follow that doll's words.

"You think too much. How about finishing this first? You might learn a few things."

"... As you wish. Rain is going to fall soon anyway, I need to find somewhere to stay for the night."

And so, they played again.

"Rock-paper-scissor!!!"